


Give Me Pain if That's What's Real

by Ry (Reedeemedbywater)



Category: Merlin - Fandom, Next to Normal, crossover - Fandom
Genre: Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Grieving, Other, Psychology
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-06-02 18:16:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6577303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reedeemedbywater/pseuds/Ry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin characters with a Next to Normalesque plot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Just Another Day

**Author's Note:**

> *Doesn't contain full-on spoilers but may make the plot of next to normal more predictable

Gwen tried to avoid looking at the clock as it struck the hour, the exact hour that everything had happened. It had been three years and still she couldn’t seem to get over it. Of course, it didn’t help that Merlin couldn’t just let things go. It pained her in ways that she couldn’t fully explain to see Merlin hold on so tight. The sun rose before she had drifted off to sleep and she gave up, climbing out of bed to stretch her aching back and go face another day. 

Just then, Merlin burst into her chambers, armed filled with scrolls and cleaning supplies, a tray of breakfast and a pitcher. He sat it all down and said “good morning your highness,” with a cheerful smile.  
Gwen was happy to see him even though her eyes softened. 

Merlin quickly cleaned off the table while simultaneously attempting to set the pitcher onto the tray and the pitcher tilted precariously. Gwen grabbed it and turned away, trying not to let Merlin see the concern pulling on the corners of her lips. 

“Slow down, Merlin,” she finally said. “Go take some time for yourself, okay?” 

“Thank you, your majesty. That’s very kind, I first just need to serve breakfast to Arthur,” he said bustling out of the room with the same cheery smile. 

Gwen’s heart ached as she watched him go. 

“It’s just another day,” Merlin whispered to himself as he pulled on the sheets of the kings already-made bed and prayed for the strength to get through. 

He allowed himself a moment of weakness alone in the kings chambers when the gravity of all that had happened in the last few years weighed on the corners of his lips until he was frowning at the bed as if he had not quite made it right. He wished this problem was as easy to fix, but it wasn't. Ever since the accident, people had been treating him differently.

The only peace in Camelot was the eerie calm which set in after the thickest of the storm, and it wasn't providing much rest or security for anyone. Merlin closed his eyes and sighed to himself, focusing only on breathing for a moment and letting everything else go away.


	2. Everything Else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rarely, Merlin gets a moment to himself. But this time is moment is interrupted by a handsome stranger and for some reason well, that's okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, comments are super appreciated as I am still very much deciding where I want this story to go so if you have any ideas please chime in!

Merlin sat beneath a canopy of leaves, sunbeams penetrating his fortress sporadically, almost as if the sun was reaching for him. But Merlin sat just beyond the sun’s reach.   
He whistled and a few birds flew out from the shadows and assembled in a line, he smiled. Murmuring under his breath, his eyes flashed gold and the birds began chirping in a harmonious rhythm. The same rhythm that seemed almost ever-present in Merlin’s mind.

“Sounds good,” a voice said from behind him and he froze.

He heard the clink of armor and the rustling of a knights cape in the wind, his heart fluttered off beat as if he had been dreaming for the last three years and now finally was about to be roused from his slumber. He turned, witty response already on his tongue, but the brunet knight walking up to him was not who he had been hoping for.

“sorry, we’re you expecting someone hotter?” the knight said, striking a truly ridiculous pose.

Merlin bit his lip to keep from laughing as the stranger plopped down next to him. The man nonchalantly blew on his bangs which had fallen into his face, and their eyes met. It was as if the Atlantic and the Pacific were crashing into each other, pulled like magnets to each other. Merlin felt enchanted, as if it were impossible to look anywhere but at this stranger.  
Finally, the man broke their gaze.

“I’m Gwaine,” he said extending a hand.

“Merlin,” the sorcerer offered in return.

“I know,” the knight said shaking his hand.

“It’s a little creepy that you know,” Merlin replied. 

“We’ve served Camelot side by side for five years?” Gwaine tried.

Merlin just stared at him blankly.

“We sit at the round table together?” 

“I’m sorry,” Merlin said, “I really am only servant to Arthur. That’s the only reason I’ve got a place at that table. He’s the only one I’m there for.”

Gwaine’s face fell, but he bit his lip. The other man seemed to be in a pleasant mood this afternoon and he didn’t want to ruin that. God knows it had been too long since Merlin had had any semblance of a normal day. 

“Are you always this confusing?” he asked instead, almost hoping that Merlin would know what he meant without having to get into the gritty details.

“You should meet the Queen,” Merlin responded instead with a smile, as if he had just told a joke. But Gwaine wasn’t laughing and Merlin didn’t really seem to be expecting him to since he had already turned his attention back to the birds that continued to sing from the trees.

“I should go,” Gwaine decided finally after a while.

“You give up way too easily,” Merlin said to Gwaine’s retreating form and smiling to himself. A crazed smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.


End file.
